Just as Jia Sidao's hand came down upon Xiaolongnü's head, he felt no joy at all. There was no sense of solid contact beneath his palm. Sure enough, Xiaolongnü's figure before him gradually blurred away—it had only been an afterimage.
Jia Sidao looked up toward the distance and saw a young man holding Xiaolongnü in his arms, asking with concern, "Are you all right?"
Seeing everyone looking their way, Xiaolongnü's cheeks flushed faintly. She gently broke free from his embrace and shook her head. "I'm fine."
Jia Sidao's expression changed. "Song Qingshu? Why are you here?"
The newcomer was none other than Song Qingshu. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and a light sheen of sweat covered his forehead. Clearly, rushing here had taken quite a toll on him.
"Why can't I be here?" Song Qingshu went over to inspect Li Qingluo and Yin Liting's injuries. Fortunately, Jia Sidao had mainly intended to attack Xiaolongnü just now. Their injuries were serious, but not life-threatening.
"Yangzhou..." Jia Sidao began, then abruptly shut his mouth. Since Song Qingshu had appeared here, he had clearly settled matters over there already. He had truly underestimated him. "What qinggong was that just now?"
"Within Reach, Yet Worlds Apart." Song Qingshu did not bother concealing it as he examined the others' wounds.
Not far away, Wang Chongyang revealed a faint smile. Back at Chongyang Palace, Song Qingshu had used this very move to break his Heavenly Dipper Formation. Wang Chongyang had been deeply impressed by it.
When the Yellow-robed Woman saw that he had finally arrived, the tension in her heart instantly eased. Yet she was still somewhat annoyed. If he had traveled here with her, would things on the mountain have become so dire?
Huang Shang and the Wine-Drinking Monk both sighed. Song Qingshu had come,